My Issue:
My laptop randomly stopped recognizing my NVIDIA GPU (RTX 4090 Laptop) after I decided to reset the network drivers, and nothing would get it working again. I kept getting display errors, artifacts, driver conflicts, blue screen of death (VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE), and mysterious disappearances of basic driversโleaving only the AMD graphics driver active. It was a tech horror show, and I almost lost hope!
What I Tried (So You Donโt Have To):
Updated/rolled back BIOS, and reset BIOS settings to default
Updated Windows, installed/uninstalled every update
Ran every scan imaginable (DISM, SFC, chkdsk, Windows Hardware Troubleshooter)
Reset CMOS (hard reset)
System Restore (multiple points)
Used DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) to remove all graphics drivers
Downloaded the latest and legacy drivers from ASUS & NVIDIA, clean installs
Checked settings in Armoury Crate (switched GPU modes, uninstalled/reinstalled Armoury Crate, even wiped all ASUS services)
Scanned for hardware changes in Device Manager
Tested for hardware issues (no artifacting in Safe Mode or BIOS)
Used every driver manager and update toolโno luck
Created a VirtualBox VM of my setup for controlled testing
Studied event logs endlessly
Talked to ASUS Support (spoiler: they suggested sending it in for repairโout of warranty!)
(I assume the network driver was a part of a package deal that also took with it, other important drivers)
How We (Finally) Fixed It:
With a lot of help from yours truly, Joe Eddy, hours of never-ending troubleshooting, sleepless nights and various trial and errors. I was finally able to get my system functioning again with NVIDIA GeForce Drivers.
What changed everything?
Joe Eddie suggesting that I used ghelper after we both come to the conclusion that the issue had to be driver related, so I got him to walk me through that process, but even after updating what I could with ghelper (I'm kind of slow so when ghelper wasn't showing change with the driver version, I didn't think there was change and didn't log the drivers that I had run the ghelper driver updates on. So as you can imagine there were quite a few that I missed, So I started thinking about another way to see the drivers that needed to be updated but also logged the drivers as updated as I updated them. That's when I remembered a program that you don't often hear about.
A tiny program called Snappy Driver Installer Origin (SDIO).
Installed SDIO and scanned the system for missing/outdated drivers.
It detected a critical mismatch in display driversโVideo Controller (VGA Compatible) - Error Code 28โwhich all the official installers missed.
SDIO offered an up-to-date, compatible NVIDIA driver that the other methods ignored.
Installed the driver through SDIO, rebooted, andโmiraculouslyโno artifacting, no errors, and the NVIDIA 4090 was fully functional again!
Total Time Invested:
Around 840 hours of troubleshooting, research, trial and error, and countless restarts across several days/nights.
TL;DR โ If youโre stuck with a missing or broken NVIDIA GPU on your ASUS ROG Duo (or similar system):
Wipe old drivers with DDU in Safe Mode.
Use Snappy Driver Installer Origin to scan and install the correct NVIDIA driver.
Reboot and celebrate! ๐
How ASUS Support Let Me Down:
Throughout this ordeal, I reached out to ASUS support multiple timesโproviding detailed logs, crash reports, and thorough step-by-step descriptions of every fix Iโd already tried. Instead of meaningful help, I got mostly copy-pasted responses, repeating the same basic troubleshooting steps and recommending tools that didnโt resolve the issue. Time and again, their go-to solution was just to tell me to send my laptop in for an RMA (repair)โeven though my machine was out of warranty and the issue was clearly software/driver-related, not a hardware failure. It felt like I was just a ticket number to them, not a real person with a real problem.
What made things even worse was the way I was treated on the official ASUS forums. When someone replied, they went on and on about RMAs, then had the nerve accuse me of fabricating my problemsโclaiming I was โusing ChatGPT for entertainment purposes.โ Before I could even respond or defend myself, they locked my thread and shut down any chance for me to share the truth or get support from the community. I was left frustrated, dismissed, and unheardโlike my genuine struggles were just an inconvenience.
Feel free to see for yourself:
https://rog-forum.asus.com/t5/gaming-notebooks/direct-feedback-from-a-long-time-asus-user-it-s-time-...
I encourage all Rog owners to come check out the Facebook group where you can find Joe Eddie and many more helpful members who actually take the time to work with you not only to better understand the way these machines work, but to actually provide support to those of us who really need it, over those who endlessly suggest RMAs, don't waste your money, this Facebook group will go above and beyond to help you find a solution to any issue you may have:
https://www.facebook.com/share/g/19A9i6GuJU/
Donโt let it break your spirit! If you need help, feel free to DM me or comment here.
Special thanks you, Joe Eddy, for sticking with me and guiding me through so many restless hours and being there no matter the time, day or night ๐ค๐ป
Letโs make tech easier for everyoneโone victory at a time.
#ASUS #NVIDIA #TechSupport #LaptopRepair #SnappyDriverInstaller #NeverGiveUp
